Feed mechanism for cup-shaped blanks



April 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUPSHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet 1 C ORA/E1415 LflNGEW/S 14. DEflN SMITH ATTORNEY April 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 9, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet O N u v) N \9 a E \o 38 Q u. \0 N lq ,g. i i m l Q i x x a C Q 00 g Ln] a N C E ZZQ INVENTORS HENRY 6. HENEIC/(SUN CORNEL/S LANGE WIS 14 DEAN SMITH A TTORN QM NIL l8 Sheets-Sheet INVENTORS HENRY 6. HENE ICKSON CORNEL/S L/l/VGiW/S 4. DEAN SMITH a A TTORNEY ARTHUR DEAN SMITH FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL RNN wk QB viginal Filed April 29,

April 23, 1968 Apnl 23, 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL ECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS 1963 FEED M Original Filed April 29 l8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORH HENRY 6-. HENR/CKSON A. 0521 SMITH A TTOHMEY April 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet 5 w 1 Q V M 2 g; Q i N v N 1 k N NQ 0 0 m I "t INVENTORS HENRY G.HENRICK$0N COENELIS LANGEW/S A. DEAN SMITH ATTORN April 23, 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Griginal Filed April 29 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS HENR Y 6. l/ENIZlC/(SON COE/VEL/S L AM/EEW/S A. DEAN 5 M TH 5 A Tim/2Y Aprll 1968 ARTHUR DEAN'SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Briginal Filed April 29, 1965 18 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 5

INVENTORS HENRY C. lvENElC/(SON (ORA/EL IS LA/VGEW/S A. D E A N 5714/ TH 4; ATTORNE April 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 1a Sheets-Sheet a' .62 77 v INVENTORS HENRY a. HEN/Z/(KSON con/vans L/M/GEW/S A. DEAN SMITH J Ar ue/v5" April 23, 1968 Original Filed April 29, 1963 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS 18 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS HENRY 6 f/ENR/[KSON COB/VEL/S LANGEW/S A. DEAN S M/TH Apnl 23, 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153 ALSO KNOWN As A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTORS HENRY E. HENE/Ck SON A. DEAN SMITH ATTORNEY p 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet ll INVENTOR5 HENRY 6 HEN/Z/C/(SO/V CORNELIS LflA/GEW/S A. DEAN SMITH ATTORNEY 18 Sheets-Sheet l2 INVENTORS HENRY 6. HENIZICKSUN CORNEL/S LANEW/S A. DEAN SMITH i A 7702 NE April 23, 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29 1963 Apnl 23, 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153 ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1965 18 Sheets-Sheet l5 INVENTORS HE NR) 6. HENRICKSON COR/VEL/S L/i/VEW/S A. DEAN SMITH April 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS l8 Sheets-Sheet 14.

Original FiledApril 29, 1963 mm o amwmumiou m0 wUMDOW Mn N NNN

INVENTORS HENRY 6 HENRICKSON CORNEL/S L/INGEWIS J4. DE/IN SMITH 4 TTOENE)" Aprifl 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet 15 INVENTORS HENRY G. HENR/C/(SON CORNELIS LANEWIS A. DEAN SMITH KTTOENE April 1968 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet l6 & w

INVENTORS HENRY GHENRICKSON CDENELIS LANGEW/S A. DEAN SMITH April 1 ARTHUR DEAN SMITH 3,379,153

ALSO KNOWN AS A. DEAN SMITH ETAL v FEED MECHANISM FOR CUP-SHAPED BLANKS Original Filed April 29, 1963 18 Sheets-Sheet l7 INVENTORS HENRY 6. HENE/CKSON CORNEL/S L/INEE W/S flJDE/IN SMITH ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 Claims. (Cl. 113-115) This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 276,632 filed Apr. 29, 1963.

The present invention relates to machines for forming cup-shaped metal containers, and particularly elongated cup-shaped metal containers, such as the cans used in the food preservation industry.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide an improved machine for forming cup-shaped metal containers, such as elongated cup-shaped metal containers, from starting blanks or workpieces which may have the form of shallow sheet metal cups or flat blanks and also to provide improved apparatus for feeding the blanks to said machine and for stripping the finished containers from the forming ram of the machine.

Other purposes and objects of this invention will become apparent from the following specification takenwith the drawings which together describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the machine and apparatus for carrying out the invention. Other embodiments of the invention may suggest themselves to those having the henefit of the teachings disclosed herein and such other embodiments are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general plan view of a container-forming machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a central vertical section through the machine taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows associated with said line;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D are fragmentary vertical sections illustrating various parts of the machine shown in FIG. 2 in different operational positions;

FIG. 4 is a detail view illustrating a component mechanism of the machine shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail view illustrating another component mechanism of the machine;

FIG. 6 is a cross section of a blank such as may be delivered to the machine of the invention, and superimposed thereon .a cross section of the container formed by the machine;

FIG. 7 is an elevation of the blank-feeding apparatus of the invention viewed in the direction of the arrows 77 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8A is a plan view of a horizontal section through the blank-feeding mechanism of the apparatus of the instant invention;

FIG. 8B is a plan view similar to FIG. 8A illustrating a different position of the blank-feeding mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary section through the blankfeeding apparatus (and the blank-receiving station of the machine generally taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows associated with said line;

FIG. 9A is a detail of a portion of the blank-feeding apparatus when viewed in the direction of the arrows 9A-9A shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating schematically the power train between the main drive shaft of the machine and the mechanism of the blank-feeding apparatus for delivering blanks from a magazine to the blank-receiving station of the actual container-forming mechanism;

'ice

FIG. 11 is a side elevation viewed in the direction of the arrows 11-41 of FIG. 1 of the initial portion of the power train illustnated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective of a component of the blankfeeding mechanism;

FIG. 13 is an elevation viewed in the direction of the arrows 13-13 in FIG. 1 which illustrates the terminal portion of the power train represented schematically in FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is an exemplary diagram of the electric circuitry and of the hydraulic and pneumatic lines used to operate various parts of the machine of the invention;

FIG. 15 is an end view of a novel stripping mechanism used with the container-forming machine of the invention;

FIG. 16A is a section through the mechanism of FIG. 15 taken along line 1616 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 16B is a section similar to FIG. 16A illustrating the position of the stripping mechanism as the forming ram of the machine pushes a container therethrough;

FIG. 16C is another section similar to FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrating the position of the stripping mechanism during the actual container-stripping phase of its performance;

FIG. 17 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of a component of the stripping mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16A, B and C;

FIG. 18 illustrates the relative positions of the cams which control the operation of the container-forming machine and the blank-feeding apparatus therefor; and

FIG. 19 is a phase diagram illustrating the operation of the container-forming machine and the blank-feeding apparatus as controlled by the cams shown in FIG. 18.

General organization of the machine The machine of the instant invention generally comprises a ram or punch R and a mechanism M for reciproeating said ram to drive, during its forward stroke, .a cupshaped blank B (FIG. 6) through .a sequence of dies D (FIG. 2). The machine of the invention also comprises a blank feeding apparatus F that delivers the cup-shaped blanks in their proper position into the space between the retracted ram and the first of the dies, and a mechanism S .at the end of the last die for stripping the completed container bodies or receptacles without injury, from the ram at the beginning of the return stroke thereof.

The ram and the mechanism for reciprocating the ram The mechanism for reciprocating the ram comprises a barrel or housing 10 within which is operated a piston rod 12 whose forward end or extremity carries the ram. This barrel has a first portion 14 of a relatively small internal diameter, a second portion 16 of a somewhat larger internal diameter which is suitably joined to said first portion, and a radially extended third portion 18 which con stitutes the blank-receiving station and which has a lateral aperture 26 (FIG. 9) through which the feeding apparatus F delivers the blanks in timed relation with the advance of the ram and into a position wherein they may be properly acted upon by the ram (FIGS. 8A, 8B). The barrel 10 also comprises a terminal portion 21 which contains a tubular housing 22 for the reception of suitable dies D through which the ram draws the blanks B (FIG. 6) to form them into container C of predetermined length, diameter and wall thickness.

For reciprocating the piston rod 12 and hence the ram at high speeds while maintaining precise axial alignment with the barrel 10 so as to produce containers having substantially uniform wall thicknesses, the rod 12 carries within the first portion 14 of the barrel a piston 24. The open end of said first barrel portion communicates directly with a closed reservoir 26 that is filled with liquid. The

reservoir 26 is formed or located at the upper end or first portion of a vertically disposed cylindrical column or enclosure 28 preferably of a substantially larger diameter than the diameter of the adjacent end of the barrel. Within the cylindrical or second portion of the enclosure a piston 30 is slidably received. During operation of the machine piston 30 is continually reciprocated between predetermined levels by a circular cam disk 34 that is eccentrically counted upon a horizontally disposed shaft 36. Shaft 36 is supported in a third portion of the enclosure below and transversely to the axis of the barrel and is driven from a motor 38 through a train of pulleys and belts collectively identified by the reference numeral 40 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a suitable reduction transmission represented by the housing 42. The edge of the eccentric 34 engages a roller 44 that is pivoted to the stem 46 of the piston 30. Hence, whenever the motor 38 is set into motion and turns the shaft 36, the rotating eccentric 34 raises and releases the piston in rapid succession (FIGS. 14 and 18). When the eccentric raises the piston 36, it forces the pool of hydraulic liquid in the closed reservoir 26 against the piston 24. This is effective to push the piston rod 12 forward and project the ram on its outer end from the barrel to an extent determined by the size and eccentricity of the disk 34, so that it way force a blank delivered in front of the ram through the dies D (FIG. 3D).

To return the ram with utmost speed to its initial position upon completion of the canforming forward stroke thereof, i.e., as soon as the rotating eccentric permits the actuator piston 30 to drop and with the piston 36 releasing its pressure upon the liquid in reservoir 26, the piston rod 12 carries within the second portion 16 of the barrel a second piston 48. Piston 4-8 is at all times yieldably urged in a direction opposite to the direction in which the positive hydraulic pressure is applied to the piston 24 by a cushion of compressed air that is maintained in the hollow interior 50 of a column 52 which communicates with the interior of the second portion 16 of barrel 10 through an opening 54 at a point in front of said second piston 48 (FIG. 2). In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the column 52 advantageously has the added function of supporting the front end of the barrel. The interior of column 52 is supplied with compressed air from a suitable source (not shown) by means of a conduit 56. In order to maintain the pressure of air in said column and the barrel portion 16 at a uniform level, conduit 56 contains a pressure-regulating valve represented by the circle 58 in FIGS. 2 and 14. During the upward stroke of the actuator piston 30, the positive hydraulic pressure applied to the piston 24 overcomes the opposing pressure of the air cushion applied to piston 48, but as soon as the eccentric 34 permits the actuator piston 30 to recede from its position of maximum amplitude, the compressed air in column 52 and barrel portion 16 becomes immediately effective to return the piston rod 12 and hence the ram to their initial position (FIG. 3A).

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention described herein, the blanks have the form of shallow cups, such as illustrated at B in FIG. 6. In order to maintain these cups in their proper position from the instant when they are engaged by the advancing ram at the beginning at its forward stroke until they are drawn through the dies, a cup-holding device 60 is received within the end of the second barrel portion 16 in the space between the inner wall of said barrel portion and the ram (FIG. 3A) for initial sliding movement in unison with, but independently from, the ram from an initial position wherein it leaves sufficient space between its front edge and the first of the dies for a blank to be delivered thereinto (FIG. 3A) to a position wherein it holds the bottom of a blank against said first die (FIG. 3C).

The ram advantageously has a diameter equal to the internal diameter which the completed container is intended to have, and the second barrel portion 16 within which it moves has a significantly larger internal diameter than the diameter of said ram. Adjacent its outer end, however, the barrel portion 16 has a restricted area of limited axial length that may be established by a sleeve 62 of suitable wall thickness which bears against and is suitably anchored in the inner surface of barrel portion 16. Slidably interposed between and forming an airtight seal with the sleeve 62 and the ram is the body portion 64 of the cup-holding device which has the form of a thick-walled sleeve. At its outer or forward end body portion 64 carries firmly secured thereto a sleeve 66 of the same internal diameter as the body 64, and sleeve 66 projects into the blank-receiving portion 18 of the barrel. This sleeve constitutes the cup holder proper and its external diameter is of such size that it slides snugly into the interior of a cup-shaped blank (FIG. 3B). The piston rod 12 upon which the ram is mounted is of a somewhat lesser diameter than the ram, and interposed between said piston rod and the body of the cup-holding device is the tubular stern portion 68 of an apertured disk 70 that surrounds the piston rod and is firmly secured to the inner end of cup-holder body 64. The free face of said disk is recessed as shown at 71, and the disk is of such a diametrical size as to extend radially a limited distance be yond the outer surface of the cup-holder body 64, yet leave an annular space 72 between its peripheral edge and the inner surface of the barrelportion 16.

The compressed air in said barrel portion 16 acts at all times against the disk 70 and urges the cup-holding device at all times toward the dies D but the end of piston rod 12 adjacent the ram is provided with an annular retaining member 74. Said retaining member engages the inner edge of the tubular stem 68 of disk 70 and limits outward movement of the cup-holding device relative to the piston rod and the ram under the urgency of the compressed air to the position illustrated in FIG. 3A wherein the front edge of the cup-holding sleeve 66 in substantially flush with the front face of the ram. When the ram is in its fully retracted position, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, both the sleeve 66 and the ram leave sufiicicnt space for a blank to be delivered in front of the first of the dies.

After a blank has been. placed into its proper position before the ram, with its hollow side facing the ram, and the ram begins its advance propelled by the upward stroke of the actuator piston 30, the compressed air in the second barrel portion acts upon the disk 70 and forces the cup holding device to advance in unison with the ram and enter and engage the interior of the cup-shaped blank (FIG. 33) so that said blank retains its properly centered position as the advancing ram engages the bottom of the cup and begins to force the cup through the dies D (FIG. 3C). Forward movement of the cup-holding device in unison with the ram is limited, however, by engagement of a shoulder 76 formed by the area of disk 70 which projects radially beyond the body 64 of the cup-h lding device, with the inner edge of sleeve 62 secured to the barrel. Said shoulder 76 comesagainst the inner edge of sleeve 62 when the front edge of the cup-holding sleeve 66 is spaced from the first of the dies by adistance substantiaily equal to or somewhat greater than the thickness of the sheet material from which the cup is made (FIG. 3C). During the following drawing operation effected by the continuing advance of the ram, the compressed airbehind the disk 70 holds the leading edge of the cup-holding sleeve 66 with a predetermina'ble pressure in its proper cupcngaging position. This pressure, of course, depends upon the amount of air pressure set up in accumulator column 52 and barrel portion 16 and is so chosen as to prevent crinkling of the wall of the cup as it is drawn through the dies.

Upon completion of the forward stroke of the ram, the actuator piston 30 releases the liquid in reservoir 26 and the compressed air in accumulator column 52 and barrel portion 15 effects return movement of the piston rod 12 and the ram in a single uninterrupted stroke. At this time 

1. APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CUP-SHAPED BLANKS TO THE BARREL OF A CONTAINER-FORMING MACHINE COMPRISING CORRIDOR MEANS LEADING LATERALLY INTO THE BARREL OF THE CONTAINER-FORMING MACHINE AND MEANS INCLUDING A SLIDE FOR PROPELLING THE BLANKS ALONG SAID CORRIDOR MEANS AND INTO SAID BARREL, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID SLIDE ALONG SAID CORRIDOR MEANS, A PAIR OF SPACED ARMS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FROM SAID SLIDE TO EXTEND FORWARDLY THEREFROM, A ROLLER PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BETWEEN THE FREE ENDS OF SAID ARMS AND MEANS URGING SAID ARMS YIELDABLY INTO A POSITION IN WHICH THEY SLANT RELATIVE TO SAID SLIDE SO THAT UPON FORWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE SAID ROLLER ENGAGES THE REAR WALL OF A CUP-SHAPED BLANK IN SAID CORRIDOR MEANS AND PROPELS IT FORWARDLY, AND UPON REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDE SAID ARMS SUBMERGE BELOW THE BOTTOM OF A SUCCEEDING CUP-SHAPED BLANK. 